When President Donald Trump visited Jerusalem and addressed the Knesset, I put up billboards across the nation declaring, “King Cyrus Is Alive.” The message resonated widely. The billboards gained international attention, even sparking discussion in Iran, where some openly wondered: Is Donald Trump King Cyrus or Esther?
Recently, Tucker Carlson appeared to discover who King Cyrus is. He visited the White House on February 23, shortly after his contentious debate with Ambassador Mike Huckabee. The timing raised eyebrows.
During that debate, Carlson made serious accusations, including claims involving Israeli President Isaac Herzog and Jeffrey Epstein’s Island. Such statements created unnecessary turbulence at a sensitive moment. The last thing President Trump would want—especially while navigating delicate geopolitical tensions involving modern-day Persia (Iran) and around the time of Purim, the Feast of Esther—is public division within his own ranks.
Melissa Francis, a former Fox News host, arranged the debate between Carlson and Huckabee. She later told me that Carlson claimed the president had encouraged him to go to Israel and “calm the waters.” Instead, Carlson appeared to do the opposite.
Carlson had reportedly asked repeatedly for the meeting. The White House instructed him not to tell anyone he was coming and specifically requested that no pictures be taken. He did the opposite.
His actions seemed designed to embarrass the president. For Carlson to think that the president will simply forget his hell week is unrealistic. Carlson targeted the president’s most loyal constituency—evangelicals—for supporting Israel and backing Israel’s strong,
unapologetic American ambassador. “I dislike Christian Zionists more than anybody,” Carlson said. He has also openly attacked the Republican Party itself.
Pro-Israel, Bible-believing evangelicals were the strongest voting bloc for President Trump in both elections. If Tucker Carlson believes that hostility toward Israel justifies damaging the president of the United States heading into the midterm elections, he is mistaken.
There is one thing President Trump has consistently shown zero tolerance for: disloyalty. Those who know him understand this well. Carlson’s subsequent visit to the White House may very well have been a firm rebuke.
Ambassador Mike Huckabee, a Bible-believing Christian with deep support among evangelical Americans, has long been regarded as a steadfast ally of Israel. For Carlson to attempt to undermine him was politically risky, if not self-destructive.
With the midterm elections approaching, party unity is crucial. The last thing President Trump would want is division within the Republican Party. Yet Carlson’s actions risk doing precisely that.
This may not have been Tucker Carlson’s first controversial appearance, but it could prove to be one of his most consequential.
Those familiar with Donald Trump know he is not easily swayed and has little patience for what he views as recklessness or disloyalty.
Dr. Mike Evans is a New York Times #1 bestselling author who has written 120 books. He is the founder of the Friends of Zion Museum in Jerusalem and the Ten Boom Museum in Haarlem, the Netherlands, along with Churches United with Israel. He has built the largest Christian Zionist network in America, with more than thirty million followers.